Construction Jobs

Much to Choose from in Construction Jobs

The field of construction is booming, and any man or women who is interested in a job in the construction industry has an endless array of possibilities open to him or her and a great chance for finding the perfect match in the way of a construction job, if he or she has the strength and endurance to perform the work.

Whether one wants to pursue a career in engineering, surveying, project management, sales & marketing, planning, or transportation, or a large variety of other options in the public or private sector, he or she has literally thousands of choices of construction jobs.

Houses, apartments, offices and factories, schools, hospitals, museums, roads and bridges are just the start of what the construction industry encompasses. Construction jobs involve the building of new structures as well as the modification of or additions to existing ones.

Three Components to the Industry

The construction industry, and construction jobs, is divided into three segments: Building contractors, or general contractors, construct residential, commercial, industrial, and other buildings. Civil engineers and construction contractors build roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, sewers, and other projects. Specialty trade contractors perform other specialized construction jobs such as carpentry, painting, plumbing, and electrical work.

The general contractors are normally responsible for entire projects, except for specifically named construction jobs that are excluded. General contractors sometimes do their own work with their own crews of construction workers, but often the work is subcontracted.

Specialty trade construction jobs usually involve only one trade such as carpentry or electrical work, or two closely related trades such as plumbing and heating. Specialty trade contractors are not responsible for whole structures but get their direction from architects or property owners, or from the general contractors.

If one is interested in engineering, there are the fields of civil engineering, highway/transport engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering, just to name a few.

A general contractor might choose to work with architects specializing in residential construction or urban design, or to branch out into many other areas.

The Nature of the Work

Construction jobs require men and women with strength and stamina because of the long hours and often adverse working conditions. Most construction workers work a minimum of 40 hours per week, often more, and often must work in the evenings, on weekends, or on holidays to finish a job or take care of an emergency. Many construction jobs are performed outdoors and are at the mercy of weather conditions. Much standing, bending, and heavy lifting is involved in construction jobs. Working conditions may be dangerous for construction workers, who often must work from temporary scaffolding or with dangerous tools in cluttered working environments.

For those with the energy and strength to handle the work, construction jobs can be physically exhilarating and lucrative. Construction jobs are probably not realistic for those men and women who don’t have the endurance to handle them.